Epilogue for What Happened Next
by Hunger4Righteousness
Summary: A sequel for the story 'What Happened Next'. Follows Megamind and Roxanne post-wedding and into trying to start a family, where they discover some unexpected side-effects of 'the link'.
1. Chapter 1

**Epilogue to 'What Happened Next" (maybe more like a sequel - not sure how much I'll add yet). If you're not sure what's happening here concerning "the link" or other things, go back and read "What Happened Next", at least the last few chapters.**

**Megamind is not mine nor do I write for any compensation, just to waste time and challenge myself to write better. :) Please review. Constructive criticisms welcome.  
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"_Why_ does this keep happening?" he moaned, sitting hunched over at the edge of the bed.

Roxanne rubbed his back as worry lines furrowed her brow. "I don't know, but I think you should let me take you to Dr. Sherred. This is the fourth day in a row."

Another retch convulsed his body, but his miserable stomach was already empty. He was so rarely ill, she'd never seen him vomit before the past few mornings.

"The quack? No thanks. I'll… probably be fine again later." The need to bring anything else up was passing, so he slowly eased himself back down onto the pillow. Roxanne moved over to make room for him on the bed and covered him with a blanket as he closed his eyes and relaxed. She carried the bowl he'd used to the bathroom to flush the meager contents and thought about calling Dr Sherred anyway. He was the only medical doctor they'd ever consulted and although his diagnosis left Megamind with a dim view of his competence, she felt the need to ask someone about this recurring vomiting. Maybe he'd even make a house call for a sick blue alien. She knew Megamind wouldn't like it, but she was getting worried. Many mornings in a row now he'd awakened queasy and for the past four he'd actually been throwing up. Then by the afternoon he was fine again. It didn't seem like flu or food poisoning. She smirked. If he were a woman, she'd almost guess…

Straightening up suddenly, her wide eyes stared back at her in the mirror. No, Dr Sherred had said it wasn't possible. Meg insisted it was. She scrabbled in the back of the bathroom cabinet until her hand found the small box she needed...

* * *

"Roxanne? Are you alright in there?" What could be causing her such excitement alone in the bathroom? The feelings emanating from the small room were positively building in intensity. Puzzling. "You might want to bring that bowl back soon…"

Her face appeared around the doorframe. "Just a minute!"

Who knew puke could be that interesting, he thought. Then a new wave of emotion tumbled through his head. Happiness… awe… fear? Frowning he sat halfway up in bed. "Hey, what's…"

She walked back into the bedroom, face flushed and eyes lit up, her hand behind her back, and he knew.

Almost reverently, he said, "Let me see."

From behind her back she pulled out the small stick that showed two distinct lines in two tiny windows. "Congratulations… Dad."

He took the little apparatus and starred at it in disbelief. "I knew it… I was right!" She sat down and he hugged her tightly but kept a firm grip on the little stick that promised them a future they hadn't been sure was possible. She kissed him, and they both stared at the lines again. "Wow. You did it."

She laughed. "I think you mean _we_ did it!"

"Yes!" He exclaimed and kissed her again. "We did."

At times of such emotional intensity, the link almost allowed them to read each other's thoughts. Looking in his eyes, she sensed his relief, pride, and wonder of the fact that she was actually bearing his child now. There was also a thread of fear – for her safety, their safety. She'd thought of that too and knew she wouldn't be able to hide her own fears from him. But overwhelmingly, they both radiated elation and a deep satisfaction in this turn of events.

His stomach growling broke the gaze they held. She put her hand against it. "Your poor stomach!"

"What made you take another test?" he asked.

"I was in there thinking that the way you've been sick every morning, if you were me, I'd guess you were pregnant." She smiled at him. "Maybe the link isn't going to be in your favor this time." Many times in the past three years it had helped him find her when she was in trouble, guess what she needed sometimes before she even knew it herself, and it certainly made their intimate encounters very satisfactory.

He groaned again slightly and winced. "So, you're surmising that thanks to the link I get to experience this morning sickness with you, or possibly even for you? You don't look ill at all!" She couldn't help but chuckle a little at the pitiful expression on his face.

"Sorry, sweetheart, looks like it."

He reclined again, but pulled her hand gently toward himself. As she got into bed and snuggled close to his side, head on his shoulder, she noticed his skin felt slightly clammy from being sick. "It's worth it," he said and squeezed her. "Very much worth it."

"And don't forget what I get to do in the end."

He grimaced. "I think I'll pass on pondering that for now." He was relieved to hear her laugh softly.

"What do you think – boy or girl?"

"Hmmm, boy." He thought about having a son like himself and all the trouble he might be. Then he considered having a daughter, small and sweet, not realizing the mischief little girls could get into as well. "But I'll be in-credibly delighted either way."

"Me too."

"I wonder… which of us he'll favor?"

"It doesn't matter to me." It was something they'd thought about before. Megamind had actually hoped aloud once for their children to have a more human appearance, but Roxanne wouldn't hear of that. She loved his blue skin and endearing eyes, even the enormous brain. She wanted people to know who her child's father was on sight. "Don't worry."

"You know a lot of my early trouble started because of the way I look." Thinking of his own offspring dealing with such harsh treatment made his stomach knot, which coming on top of it's too recent abuse made him wince again.

"This baby is going to have a much different life than you did. You know that. How many kids can say their dad is a famous hero, for one thing?" She pondered this further and rolled up on her elbow to be able to look at him directly. "I guess really that in itself could be a good thing or a bad thing, but you know what? That's just who we are now. No use fighting it or worrying about it yet. We'll deal with all that as it comes up." She trailed her hand across his chest and smiled. "I hope he – or she – does look like you."

He had to admit she was right. Again. How he marveled at this amazing woman who'd chosen to stay with him for life. She was his own hero in many ways, having pulled him from his self-destructiveness and ushering him into a life full of purpose and affection. It was wonderful being loved by her. He could never get enough. Running his fingers through her hair as she looked down at him, he wondered how long morning sickness lasted. When she brought her lips to his for an all too brief kiss, he realized it was going to put a damper on his favorite time of day for a while.

As Roxanne sighed happily and relaxed by his side again, he pondered how far along the baby might be; gestational age was usually counted in weeks. Was the tiny heart already beating? Would they be able to see the minute fingers and toes via ultrasound? Ah, he would create his own ultrasound equipment so they could monitor the little one's progress whenever they wanted! Rapid calculations were interrupted by another churn of his outraged digestive tract.

"Roxanne?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Would you go get me some crackers?"


	2. Chapter 2

Of course Megamind couldn't resist contacting Dr Sherred now and rubbing in the fact the he, Megamind, had been right and the well-intentioned doctor wrong. After their unorthodox wedding, the party having been crashed by the despicable Snake, having babies seemed like it would be a welcome adventure. Unspoken between them was the thought that should anything happen to either one of them, they both wanted a part of the other to continue on. However, after three years they were still patiently waiting. Neither of them was particularly worried by this, finding their relationship very satisfactory just as it was, but more and more they pondered the actual science of the thing. Was an inter-species child going to be possible?

Roxanne had suggested visiting Dr. Sherred, a friend of hers who was a geneticist and medical doctor. He had expressed professional interest in Megamind previously and jumped at the chance to assist them in finding an answer to their questions. Megamind agreed to the consultation with minimal opposition. Some time later, Dr Sherred gently informed them of his conclusion. In his opinion, they would never have children.

Megamind flatly refused to accept the diagnosis that their DNA was simply too dissimilar. He determined immediately after receiving that news that he would look into it himself. He'd extracted DNA before – from Metro Man, for one - it wasn't that difficult. Once committed to the task, parts to redesign and improve his previous extractor having been rapidly procured, he'd worked nearly nonstop and in less time than she thought would have been necessary for such intricate work, he informed Roxanne that he was certain they could have a child at any time. It was simply a matter of waiting for it to happen. Knowing her husband's capacity for ego as well as genius, she accepted his pronouncement with a grain of salt. Now that he'd been proven right, his ego would really be inflated she concluded in amusement.

Dr. Sherred's easy acceptance of having been found wrong had the effect of restoring Megamind's opinion of him.

"Well!" the doctor's bushy white eyebrows danced on his ruddy face as he looked from one to the other. "Congratulations! I'm pleased to say I was wrong this time. This is a wonderful surprise!"

"We think so too," Roxanne commented happily.

"Shall we have a look with the ultrasound and see what's happening? Any idea how far along you are?"

"No, we haven't really been trying," she explained. "Just letting nature take it's course, you know."

"Karen," Dr Sherred pressed a button on his desk. "I'm going to need room three. Buzz me when it's free."

"Are you certain your equipment is safe?" Megamind questioned, sitting forward in his chair.

Dr Sherred looked at him and chuckled. "It's used on many expectant mothers every day in perfect safety. Although, this is undoubtedly a first!" He folded his hands on his desk. "If you have concerns, we can delay."

"I think it'll be ok," Roxanne placed her hand on Megamind's arm and gave him a 'stand down' look. She didn't want to wait. He relaxed and sat back but folded his arms. He'd feel better using his own equipment, which wasn't ready quite yet.

* * *

In the dark room, the black and white image focused and unfocused as the technician slowly slid the sensor head across Roxanne's abdomen. Suddenly, there it was. A tiny figure magnified by the equipment, clearly showing a head, arms, legs, a round tummy, and every other necessary part. Dr. Sherred was excitedly pointing out the features of the baby on the screen as the technician focused on each appendage and took measurements, but Megamind stood stunned. They saw the heart rapidly beating, and the baby gave a convulsive jump with its entire body.

"Could you feel that?" he anxiously asked Roxanne, unknowingly interrupting the doctor's comments.

"No, I can't yet." She took his hand and asked, "Did you hear what Dr Sherred said? About the large cranium?"

"No," he admitted, staring at the screen in amazement again. She smiled and thought to herself, I'll tell him later. He's not listening!

The measurements showed the fetus to be about 10 weeks along, disregarding the cranial measurement that threw the calculations off. Considering whom the father was, Dr Sherred felt confident in setting aside that particular number in order to determine the gestational age. With more hearty congratulations, he personally ushered them from the office, offering to help again any time they wished. Roxanne promised to call to set up subsequent appointments in his office, since he was already familiar with them and their unique situation.

As they walked out hand in hand, Roxanne glanced at her silent, dazed partner. Realizing he was still stunned at seeing the baby, it was hardly surprising there were myriad thoughts, calculations, and worries swirling through his mind. At times like this she tried to practice turning off or at least tuning out the link. She wasn't sure it was actually possible, but she tried anyway. His mental processes could really be overwhelming. A couple times, she felt she'd nearly managed to do it, although reducing or breaking the link took a lot of concentration and left her with an uncomfortable, empty feeling. Suddenly he stopped and turned to her.

"Where can I hide you?"

Startled, she stared at him, not sure what to say. "What are you talking about?"

Putting his hands on her shoulders, he looked with deep concern at the beautiful woman he couldn't imagine living without and thought of the fragile life inside her too.

"Or maybe I should retire."

That comment clued her in and made her smirk. "And do what? You'd be bored out of your mind!"

"I don't know. NASA, M.I.T…"

"Megamind. No. Everything will be fine!"

His large eyes darted around as quickly as his thoughts, then settled on her again gravely. "I don't want anything to happen to you. Or him. Her."

Raising an eyebrow, she reminded him of the day long ago when faced with newfound responsibility he'd lost his nerve briefly. "Am I going to have to slap you?" They still joked about it infrequently.

"No, let's not have that again." He smiled briefly at the reminder then frowned. "How about the holowatch? No one needs to know about your condition." Certain twisted evildoers might see her pregnancy as a vulnerability to be exploited. He thought of the few major players who'd appeared in his territory since Snake. However the answering look on her face was not a cooperative one.

"Believe it or not, I want people to know. I think this is amazing, and I'm proud of it."

"Hey, so am I! I mean, come on, as far as that goes I'm thinking we could put up a billboard about it downtown. I just," he paused uncertainly.

She stopped him with her hand raised. "I know. I know! But I was fully aware of might be in store when I agreed to marry you." She hugged him, and they began walking again to the car. "I am _not_ worried."

She believed in him. Her unwavering sureness strengthened his determination and restored his courage, as it always did. "Roxanne, you truly are one of the bravest people I know."

She paused to smile coyly as he held the car door open for her to get in. "It's easy when you've got the baddest, blue hero around as your personal body guard."

Stopping her descent onto the car's seat, he answered, "You got that right," and grabbed her up in a close embrace and a long scorching kiss. Three years of this and he still makes me weak in the knees, she thought in amazement as they parted minutes later. His crooked smile and bedroom eyes told her he felt the same. "In fact, I think this calls for a little extra 'bodyguard' practice right now."


	3. Chapter 3

**Someone asked if I need baby name suggestions. Let 'em rip! I don't think this story is nearly as interesting as many here currently being published, but I'm having some fun writing it anyway. :)**

Morning sickness passed, and Metro City's defender rebounded back to his usual fantastic self. Roxanne's pregnancy progressed uneventfully, except that her changing appearance was beginning to cause more comment in the viewing public than her newscasts. Taking an early and extended maternity leave seemed like a wise choice, and staying at home in the comfortable upper levels of the lair had advantages. The nosy press would not bother her there, and it was always interesting watching and occasionally helping her genius create, the pace of which increased since he now felt better and had a new source of inspiration.

She had to put her foot down about how often she'd submit to Megamind's in-home ultrasound scans though. Dr Sherred had things well in hand, she assured him, knowing full well the doctor's interest in the baby's progress couldn't hold a candle to Megamind's fascination with their little offspring. It caused him to be rather preoccupied at times, but he still managed to dispatch any municipal trouble very speedily. In fact, he became so vigilant about monitoring the city's news, police activity, and underground rumor mill it bordered on obsession. He intended to head off any trouble before it started. Busy as he was, he often took time to stop and observe Roxanne with a thoughtful smile, wanting to remember everything about the pregnancy.

Minion was just as bad in his own way. Once he'd been let in on the secret, to cries of delighted surprise and congratulations, he began attending to Roxanne with a devotion that charmed her at first but soon became rather suffocating. When she found herself hiding from his helpful ministrations one too many times, she planned a get away for an afternoon. Considering inviting along a couple friends to go with her at first, she eventually decided she needed some time to herself more than girlfriend company. Certain articles in her wardrobe were becoming rather snug again anyway, so a shopping trip would fit the bill nicely. Less than three months to go, she reassured herself.

Leaving a note for the dynamic duo to find later, she made her way downtown with minimal fuss and settled in to enjoy peacefully browsing the shops. Time flew and before she knew it, afternoon turned to evening. She hadn't realized how late it was until she suddenly felt rather hot and dizzy while trying on a cute pair of shoes in a maternity boutique. The pimply-faced clerk must have eaten something garlicky for lunch, she thought dismally, as he lifted the shoes she'd chosen from a box and fitted one to her foot. Trying to ignore a wave of nausea, the hot flash turned to a chill as a sheen of perspiration broke on her brow. The young man was emphatically complimenting her sense of style as an invisible fog of halitosis emanated from his mouth, causing her to squirm uncomfortably and swallow hard in an attempt to not gag.

Just as she was about to ask where the nearest restroom was, a noisy commotion at the front of the store caught her attention. Bounding through the racks of clothing and ignoring gasping shoppers came a familiar blue figure with a very concerned expression on his face. Seeing the strange young man doing something unusual to his wife's feet, he scowled and began to draw the de-gun. Realizing what he what about, Roxanne quickly raised her hand and attempted to reassure him. "Stop, stop! I'm ok!"

The young man suddenly sat down very hard on the floor. "Y- you! You're Megamind!" he stammered, eyes popping and hands splayed out before him as though he could ward off the attack.

"I'm fine, really. I think my blood sugar just got too low," she explained, ignoring the blathering clerk. She still felt queasy.

Glaring the teen on the floor one last time for good measure, Megamind reholstered his gun. "Why did you wait so long to eat?" he scolded her gently. "Let's go get you something." Helping her rise from the chair, he turned and stopped in his tracks, finally noticing they were the focus of every pair of eyes in the store. "Opps. Sorry about that, er, everyone."

Roxanne sighed. So much for relaxing incognito. A grandmotherly woman standing near them spoke up in a crackly voice loud enough for half the shoppers to hear, "Honey, I wish my husband paid that much attention to me when I was pregnant!" Glancing at the humbled face of her devoted partner, Roxanne realized the older lady had a point and reassuringly took his arm. He offered her an apologetic smile.

The young man still seated on the floor suddenly grabbed a shoebox and held it up, boldly requesting a signature. As Megamind quickly signed with a flourish and a personal apology, Roxanne pulled his arm. "I really do need to eat." They quickly exited, leaving the crowd staring after them, including one starry-eyed fan still seated on the carpet.

"Were you following me?" she quietly demanded once the other patrons of the coffee shop had mostly stopped glancing over at their booth and returned their attention to their own food and drinks. They'd accepted long ago that being in public meant being subjected to stares and comments, and although it was mostly positive it could be annoying. Over time they learned if they did nothing for long enough, like a rabbit hiding in plain sight, people eventually stopped looking and went about their business. The pregnancy had reignited the public's interest, and it now took longer to achieve this type of invisibility in public places.

He drummed his long blue fingers on the table, avoiding her gaze. "No." Then he took her hand and admitted, "I was looking for you though, and then I sensed you - "

"Honey…"

"Ok, I know. I overreacted. Again. So shoot me!" He slumped in his seat a little and looked abashed. "I'm sorry if I was embarrassing."

He's come a long way in the apologizing department, she considered, sipping her drink and watching him fiddle with the muffin in front of him. It was easy to be placated by his sincerity and how unintentionally cute he was when trying to make amends. "Well, you did save me from a life-threatening case of bad breath." He looked confused, and she laughed to herself. "Never mind. Look, that lady in the shop was right. I'm very lucky, and I must remember to be thankful, despite… the inconveniences. But," she chided him, "you and Minion have been driving me a little bit crazy at home lately."

"Yes, we discussed that while you were gone. We'll do better. Or rather, we'll do less. I mean, we're still there for you, but we'll try to stay out of your way. Uh…" It wasn't coming out right, but he figured she knew what he meant. Straightening up, he focused his intense green eyes on her blue ones. "You know I can't help wanting to keep you safe." She nodding her understanding. She knew she was carrying not just their family's future, but also the continuation of his whole race. He divined her thoughts yet again and placed his hand over her swelling abdomen. A smile curled at the corner of his mouth at an answering kick from the baby. "No, Roxanne, not because of that. Just because you two mean more to me than anything."

Despite their general avoidance of public displays of affection, she placed a hand on the side of his face and kissed him warmly. "I love you," she whispered. He answered her with a kiss in return. Public be damned, he thought, but a harder kick under his hand caused them to part and look down in surprise. "Now, now, little man. Don't interrupt."

"Oh! I almost forgot." She reached into her purse and pulling out an envelope, handed it to him with a carefully blank face. She'd obviously already read it, so he quickly scanned the contents while she waited, then handed it back with a bemused expression.

"Interesting. I wonder what he wants. Although I think I can guess."

"Let's go find out," she suggested. They gathered her purchases and headed out. "_Uncle_ Wayne, huh?" He smirked in response.


	4. Chapter 4

Wayne Scott, formerly Metro Man and currently Music Man, stood looking at himself in the bathroom mirror. He turned his head slightly and stared at his prematurely grey sideburns, an ironic and nagging reminder that he wasn't perfect after all. He really needed to shave and wouldn't have bothered except that he had guests coming soon. So Roxanne was pregnant. It still made him smile to think of seeing her last broadcast, the swelling more than just noticeable.

How had it happened that the little blue guy had managed to win over such a classy lady and make her his wife and he, practically a god, had not? Not that he hadn't had women. He could have as many as he wanted. He knew his power over them, at least certain types. Sex was fun, but even it got boring after a while. No, he sighed, there was something missing. Megamind seemed to have found happiness. He had not. Megamind was going to be a father. He was not.

"Do I really want to settle down?" he muttered to himself. His parents never seemed very happy in their marriage. He swore from an early age he'd not go down that road, having a spouse he barely tolerated. He'd rather be free, and for a long while he'd lived the high life he thought he always wanted. Being adored for his power and looks, always sought after by the public, getting whatever he wanted, and playing hero had been great. Well, not everything he wanted fell in his lap. He'd never managed to land Roxanne, but then he had to admit now that he hadn't really loved her. Not the way Megamind loved her. She'd seemed like a great girl and a worthy conquest to pursue back in the old days. It puzzled him greatly that she didn't fall prey to his advances during all those rescues. He'd just shrugged it off and found his fun elsewhere.

Then the games and fame began to lose their luster. He wanted meaning in his life. Something he could be proud of having accomplished, not just handed to him. So he ended the charade and took up music. He knew now that it had been selfish of him to walk away the way he had. He was very lucky to have the friends he did, who had forgiven him for a choice that risked their lives. He himself had never actually feared for his life before, but watching the drama unfold during the Titan affair seemed to knock some sense of reality into him. He'd been so self-focused all his life. When had he ever done anything really heroic or even made an unselfish act? It had plunged him into a time of despair and self-loathing.

Not long after that he'd been shocked by a visit from the couple and Roxanne's angry demands that he own up to his lie. She'd even dared him to 'be a man' and inform the city authorities that he was still alive in order to exonerate Megamind. Be a man? He was THE man! He knew then that she had seen through him all along, no x-ray vision necessary. And he knew she was right.

Bringing the razor to his face, he began to carefully shave his rough stubble. Watching the two of them be married was a privilege he knew he didn't deserve, but they had asked him to be there anyway. Oddly, that was humbling. They wanted him there because… they liked him. Not because of anything he could do for them or for show, but because he was their friend. They'd all been through a lot together. He smiled again at his reflection, continuing to shave. It hadn't been difficult to make the decision to step up and help when that Snake character took Roxanne. He'd been too late, but it felt good to decide to help someone without expecting anything in return.

And now they were going to have a baby. He shook his head and smirked. Darn that Megamind! He'd managed to be the first to pass on his genetic material. They were both aliens, although the public didn't usually think of 'Metro Man' that way. Lucky him – he looked like one of them. He'd sometimes wondered if he could even have children with a human woman. Not one had ever come forward claiming to be carrying his child. Up to now, that had been a relief. Now he wondered. Could he also become a father? Would he ever pass on the last remaining genes of his race?

Finishing up the shaving, he put down the razor and splashed water on his face. Today was not about him though. Well, not directly, he thought as he toweled his jaw. Not for the first time, he hoped his friends would be open to his request and see the sense in what he was going to ask them.

* * *

Megamind rapped at the door of the penthouse. Not surprisingly it was a very posh place. The Scotts were an immensely wealthy family, and Wayne was their golden son. Even after becoming Music Man, his parents made sure he had whatever he wanted. What Megamind didn't know was how Wayne had shown up at home soon after the reports of Metro Man's death to reassure them he wasn't deceased but was changing his career. Angry at him at first, they threatened to cut him off. He called their bluff and had even forbidden his mother and father from intervening for better or worse in his new career in any way. Cowed by their powerful and spoiled son, they meekly complied.

Roxanne ran a hand over her belly and smiled at her husband. "Five bucks says he's met a woman."

He smiled back as they heard footsteps approach the door. "You're on. I still say it's the baby." Wayne opened it wide and stood grinning at them as though he hadn't seen them in years. Actually it hadn't been quite so long. They'd enjoyed a regular poker night which included Minion as well, every few weeks up to a couple months ago when Roxanne announced she needed more sleep and less staying up late to beat their pants off.

"There you are! Please, come in!" He stepped aside and they walked into the beautiful apartment. Music played softly in the background, but for once it wasn't anything by the artist present in the room. "Thanks for coming. How about some wine?" He ushered Roxanne to a comfortable chair and watched her sit down before looking at Megamind and motioning him to sit as well.

"Thanks, Wayne, but I'd just like a glass of ice water, please," Roxanne replied.

"No problem! What about you, little buddy?"

"Why not!" Sure, he'd indulge in little of Wayne's extensive wine selection. Not that he'd drink much of it, knowing how quickly it affected him, but he could still appreciate it.

The large man moved to the kitchen and was back with wineglasses quickly.

"You look good, Wayne," Roxanne commented, sipping her water. She noticed that he'd shaved and seemed to be in better shape physically than he'd been previously. Lately he'd been letting himself get rather seedy, and she'd actually worried a little. It wasn't like him to be a slob. Seeing him cleaned up she felt more confident that her guess about the reason for their visit was right.

"I feel good, Roxanne. Or at least, I'm feeling better." He smiled and complimented her as well, "You look amazing!"

Unconsciously putting her hand to the baby, she smirked at him. "Yeah well, all that stuff they say about the glow of pregnancy? It's all crap." She laughed. "As much as I love this, I'm ready to be done too."

"She does look amazing though," Megamind added proudly, smiling at his wife.

They chatted easily about Wayne's budding career, the current state of the city, the most recent crime fighting and Minion's latest hobby, knitting up a storm of baby items.

"So, do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?" Wayne abruptly asked. Roxanne looked at Megamind and said, "Yes, we do. But we haven't told anyone. Minion doesn't even know yet."

"Oh," he looked a little disappointed but thoughtful. Then he asked, "Have any names picked out?"

"Yes, the baby is already named," Megamind answered smugly. "And, no, we're not divulging that information either." Wayne was showing a pointed interest in their unborn child although he was more the type to talk about himself. Megamind felt certain his guess about the reason for this requested visit was the right one.

With a sigh, the former hero looked from one to the other. "Look, I… asked you here for a specific reason." He looked uncomfortable. "You two don't owe me anything. In fact, you've been very good to me – forgiving me for screwing up so badly, almost getting you killed, letting you –" he looked at Megamind, "take the blame for my death." He sighed again and looked at the floor. "Life just seems kind of pointless right now."

"What about your music?" Roxanne asked with concern. "I thought that was your 'thing'. How you wanted to find yourself."

He glanced up at her sadly and then stood up and began pacing around. "It's not enough, Roxanne. It's still all about _me_. When I found out you two were going to have this baby, I just…" he stopped.

Megamind spoke up. "You've realized life isn't all about yourself and getting what you want."

"Yes!" the musician pounced on his words like a cat.

"Well, you're right there. You'll never be happy that way." Megamind looked at Wayne intently. He once had had to find this same thing out for himself. "You have to find out _who_ to live your life for."

"That's really why I called you both here," he explained. He hesitated seeing their blank faces. "I'm sure Minion will be the baby's godfather, but I hoped you'd let me… be his or her guardian." Seeing Megamind's face light up as he looked at Roxanne, he rushed on, feeling a little embarrassed now. "I'm not trying to step on your turf here, Megs. And it's not my family, so I'm totally taking liberties even asking. But you are the closest thing I've got to a… a brother, I guess. I feel a connection to this kid, which I suppose might sound weird. But I can help. I want to help. I'll have your back. There's still a lot of danger out there to deal with, you know. What if some wacko comes after it? The baby I mean. Or what if –"

Roxanne held up her hand. "Ok! Ok, we get it. Just… let's not start going into all the possibilities of what might go wrong." She shook her head. "I really don't want to be thinking about those kinds of things right now." Then fixing her gaze on him sincerely, she smiled. "Wayne, you're really surprising, you know that?"

He stared at her, unsure of what he might hear next. It was Megamind who spoke up though.

"Minion will not be the baby's godfather."

"What? Why not?"

"Because he will be the baby's Minion. Having no other helper to bequeath, as my parents did, we've already agreed that Minion will be the baby's minion. With a small 'm'."

Trying to sort out that confusing statement, he blinked a few times. "So…"

"So we have an opening." The pair of them looked at him kindly. Roxanne asked, "Wayne, would you like to be the baby's godfather?"

"Really?" He looked at his old enemy. "You're ok with this too?"

"I had you pegged. We talked about it on the way over. And yes, I'm okay with it." He stuck out his hand. "I hope we never need your help that way, but I'd be a fool to turn it down for the sake of pride." Roxanne smirked. She'd told him that same thing not half an hour ago.

Wayne shook Megamind's hand with a look of wonder, then pulled him into a crushing hug and snatched Roxanne up to squeeze as well.

"WAYNE! uhgnn…"

"Careful…!"

"You guys are the best, you know that?" He grinned at them both and released them, watching them wobble on their feet slightly. Megamind grimaced and stretched his back. Roxanne rearranged her top and took a deep breath. "I am going to be the most amazing godfather you've ever seen! Nobody'll mess with this kid! Let's get out the champagne!"

"If it's all the same, save it for after the baby arrives," Roxanne requested. "We need to get back before our fishy friend has a fit. And anyway, after the birth I can drink it with you too."

"Well at least let me take you out to dinner! Call Minion," he told Megamind. "He should come with us!" Elated at having his request granted and a new purpose to focus on, Wayne felt like celebrating.

"Sure! Where should we go?"

They made ready to depart, locked the apartment up, and left to go pick up Minion who luckily hadn't started dinner yet.

Walking out, Music Man couldn't resist getting in a dig at his happy blue friend. "So. Finally got over that morning sickness, huh?"

"Shut it."

Roxanne laughed.


	5. Chapter 5

"I have an appointment today at noon," Roxanne informed them as Minion set breakfast on the table. "Just a routine checkup." There were still six weeks until her due date.

"Mmm." He poked at the food on his plate.

That wasn't his usual response. He wasn't eating, wasn't listening, slight frown on his face. Minion noticed too and shrugged at her when she glanced questioningly at him. She reached out a finger and stroked the blue hand resting on the table.

"Hey. What's up?"

Looking up, he tried to give a reassuring smile. "Oh! Nothing. I'm sure it's nothing." Then he frowned again to himself and muttered, "I just have that feeling." He felt agitated, like he was wearing a scratchy shirt he couldn't take off. Everything seemed to annoy and irritate him, and that often meant trouble was brewing in one form or another.

The city had been experiencing a rash of strange defacings lately by someone who apparently liked to play with tar. They were nothing more than annoyances up to this point, but he suspected someone was testing out ideas in preparation for a bigger event. He should know. He used to do the same thing. It must be that which was making him so nervous today. Certainly Roxanne looked relaxed, which was reassuring. The uneasy feelings must not be from her. Minion was sitting down now, gushing over his latest knitted creation which was yet another kind of wrap or sweater or garment for the baby.

He groaned to himself and wondered how many times a day one must change a baby's clothing. At the rate Minion was turning out the warm, fluffy items the kid wouldn't wear the same thing twice before turning three. "For Pete's sake, Minion, it's not like we live at the North Pole!" He slapped his hands over his mouth, regretting the outburst as soon as it passed his lips. Two pairs of eyes stared at him. "I'm sorry! I have no idea why I said that!"

"Are you feeling ok?"

"I feel rather unsettled today."

"I'd call you _cranky_!" Minion sniffed as he carefully sprinkled flakes in his bowl.

Roxanne observed Megamind thoughtfully. She hadn't wanted to tell him about the cramping she'd felt that morning, but maybe he was going to find it out for himself anyway. With the link, there were some secrets that couldn't be kept from her alien husband.

* * *

Harold Ficket was a round, tubby sort of man. In the tight, spandex laden suit he wore he was not very scary or even very impressive, except for the exceptionally red color of his angry face as he shouted for Megamind to come out.

"That's just not pretty at all," Roxanne commented grimly, watching the video feed via brainbot as several other flying attendants changed Megamind into his working clothes, dropping the cape over his shoulders just before he exited the curtain.

"No, he looks fairly soft, I have to say. However, underestimating him would not be wise." Despite always going into battle with nothing but blatant self-confidence, Megamind never allowed his ego to overpower his natural cautiousness in approaching any unknown combatant, no matter what their outward appearance.

"You think this is the guy who's been spreading tar all over town?"

"Could be. We'll soon find out."

"Well, good luck. Please be careful, as always," she said, kissing him warmly.

"Wait! You're still going to your appointment? What if he's," he gestured to the man on the screen, "just a ruse? I'll send Minion with you."

"No, you need Minion. I'll be fine. I'll take the invisible car if you want. You can use the hoverbike." She usually preferred getting around town in her own normal vehicle, but she realized he wasn't going to agree to that today.

"Roxanne, I've been as nervous as a cat and my sense of danger has been off the chart all day. If you think I'm going to let you go anywhere by yourself, you are very much mistaken! Reschedule and stay here with the brainbots."

She scowled defiantly at him and crossed her arms. Behind them on the screen, the rotund man on the steps of City Hall raged on unheeded. "I really want to make this appointment, Megamind. I need to go see Dr. Sherred."

Her insistence tipped him off. Alarmed, he looked at her belly and reached a hand out to it. "What's wrong? Why do you need to see him today especially? Are you feeling ok? Why didn't you tell me!" His voice rose excitedly as he questioned without waiting for an answer.

"Ok, see? This is why I didn't say anything. I knew you'd worry!" She sighed. "I'm fine, honey. But the baby's not been as active today and I just… I want him to check it out." Seeing his eyes widen, she stopped short of telling him about the cramping. Having voraciously read every book on pregnancy he could find, he knew what to ask anyway and began questioning her as he paced back and forth.

"Are you spotting? Any fluid leaking?" He suddenly stopped and gripped her shoulders. "Roxanne… have you been having _contractions_?" He gasped at seeing her grimace slightly. "_That's_ what's been bothering me all day! First morning sickness and now this?" He held a hand to his forehead in disbelief. "We're in labor? And what'll I do with HIM?" He pointed at Harold Ficket, still waiting at City Hall. "You know what? Screw him. We're going to the doctor. Now. The police will have to handle this one on their own." He tried to turn her and guide her to the door.

"No! Megamind, you can't do that. He's calling you out. What's the public going to think when their defender doesn't show up? Look, I'm sure, I'm really sure there is nothing wrong with the baby. They're not even contractions really. Just kind of… cramps. If it makes you feel better, I'll call Wayne and he can take me."

"That big lummox isn't going to our baby appointment!"

"We did make him the godfather. And you can't be everywhere at once."

"I don't care. I should be the one going!"

"Look, do you want me to be safe or not?"

He threw his hands in the air and turned on his heels. "Argh! Ok, fine! Call him." At least Wayne would be able ensure her safety, but he jealously hated the thought of someone else being with her for these important doctor visits, especially if something important was happening. Realizing he was being irrational and might be upsetting her, he calmed himself and turned around, his face clearly displaying his mixed emotions. "I'm sorry. What a day, huh?" Her worried frown pulled at his heart. This was no time to be arguing. Mentally kicking himself, he pulled her close and hugged her, hoping to be reassuring despite feeling the weight of his own concerns. "Look, I'll deal with this… person as quickly as possible, and then I _am_ going to be at that appointment."

* * *

"Roxanne," The doctor's tone of voice and expression as he looked down at her on the examination table caused her heart to beat faster. "I have to say it looks like you're in labor."

"But, I still have six weeks to go," she protested. "Can you stop it?"

"Possibly, but I'm not sure I should." Dr Sherred explained, "With the baby not being fully human, we don't know what really constitutes a normal gestational period in this instance. It's possible this is the full duration of pregnancy for this child. However, I suspect your body's reaction to the larger cranium has something to do with it as well. With the pressure of the baby's head on the cervix being more similar to that of a full-term human infant at this point, your body may have been triggered to begin labor. The processes of how birth begins are still not fully understood, but that is one theory." He paused. "I'd like to monitor the baby for a while during your contractions to see how it's responding."

She swallowed. "Are you worried about something in particular?"

He hesitated. "Most of all I just don't know quite what to expect. This is a first, Roxanne, as you well know. I'd like to err of the side of caution and observe everything thoroughly. At this point I need more information to make a decision about stopping this or letting it progress. I'll be consulting with our head of obstetrics as well."

"Ok." She thought of Megamind and wondered how he was handling labor while trying to deal with Harold Ficket. The contractions were more pronounced now although not very painful yet. She noticed her abdomen tensing with greater frequency than it had in the morning. She knew he had enough to think about, but she felt he ought to know what was happening too. First she considered calling him. However that could be a distraction, so she decided not to. A second nurse arrived in the room.

"We're going to put you in another room now and get the monitoring equipment ready." Dr Sherred told her.

"Ok," she said distractedly as he left. She didn't even hear his customary reassurances that everything would be fine. The nurses looked at each other, silently noting together that the doctor didn't sound as sure of himself as usual.

They would not allow her to get up from the table, but wheeled the whole apparatus into the birthing suite. Not the soothing printed wallpaper nor the rocking chair and lamp in the corner that were meant to imbue the room with a feeling of coziness could disguise the IV stand prepared, the rolling cart of small drawers nearby, the blinking lights of the various equipment that all informed her the doctor was not only erring on the side of caution. He expected a significant event to take place soon. She felt a chill and wondered miserably why they kept these rooms so cold. Handing her a standard issue gown, the nurse pointed out the tiny adjoining bathroom so she could change. Putting on the ridiculous, drafty garment and walking over to the rocker, she set her clothes and purse on it and scooted back to the bed, covering herself with the warmed blanket that had been left at the foot. She shivered again, despite the soft material pulled up to her chest, and decided to raise the head so she could sit upright. The nurse moved around the room, quietly and efficiently checking on supplies and equipment as Roxanne watched her and hoped Megamind and Minion might be wrapping things up at City Hall. She noted another contraction and looked at the clock just as Wayne arrived with a short, perky looking girl in uniform.

"Hi there!" The blonde exclaimed brightly. "I'm Gillian, your nurse's aide today!" She folded her hands in front of her and put her head to one side. "Is there anything I can get you right now? Or your husband?" She looked at Wayne.

"Oh, I'm not her husband."

"Oh! Well, boyfriend then?" she asked hopefully.

"Ah, no… just a friend of the family."

"My husband's still on his way here," Roxanne explained briefly. She'll find out who he is soon enough, she thought, not feeling up to questions or gushing comments.

Gillian was inspecting Wayne more intently now, giving him the once over. She crinkled her eyes and offered, "Well, there's no rule against me getting something for a friend of the family either!"

He smiled back at her but declined.

"Ok, then! Just give me a buzz if you need anything at all," she handed Roxanne the call button, "and I will be here in a jiffy!" She bounced back out of the room with a backward peek at the ex-hero.

Wayne watched her go and looked back at Roxanne. Noting the dazed look on her face, he felt distinctly that he was not the person she wanted present in the room right now. Straightening his shoulders he made up his mind to help her as much as possible.

"Gotta tell you, Roxie. You've never looked this worried during any of our other adventures."

"Huh, yeah." She didn't feel like joking. The nurse approached her bed and pulled the blanket down onto her lap, leaving her feeling very exposed. She began to attach the monitors to her belly, briefly explaining what each one was for. When she'd checked the readouts and left again, Roxanne pulled the blanket back up and said, "Wayne, hand me my cell phone, would you?"


	6. Chapter 6

Harold Ficket was an angry man, and he was going to tell the whole city why. As he faced off with Megamind and Minion, who stood at his master's shoulder, he made sure everyone watching would be able to hear what he had to say. This day had been a long time in coming, and he wanted to make it a day the city and its so-called defender would remember. He'd nursed his grudge against Megamind for many years, but during his reign of evil Harold never thought he'd have a chance to confront him. When the blue freak had turned soft, playing the city's defender, the fat man felt his confidence rise. He wanted to make him suffer. Why should this alien be living the life of a celebrity, after all he'd done?

"You don't even know who I am, do you?" he roared for the crowd's benefit.

Megamind looked the obese man over. "Should I?" he asked, raising a brow skeptically.

"Yes! You should!" Harold's suit was so tight on his skin, each roll of fat was defined by the shiny material. Most unbearable to witness was the definite outlining of his forward nether regions. Several passersby who'd stopped to gawk held a hand over their children's eyes. Of course they simply peeped out again as their parents openly rubbernecked at the spectacle. "Went to school with you? Suffered from your nefarious tricks? I was your classmate, you little twerp!"

With a flash of recognition, Megamind snapped his fingers. "Oh yes! Harold Ficket! I do recall. You used to pull my chair out from behind me every day at lunch." He crossed his arms, wondering where this fat slob got off complaining about _his_ nefarious tricks in school. He hadn't been in Wayne's little posse but hung out on the fringes of that group, getting in digs whenever he could. He'd been a slightly overweight, rather unpopluar child back then, willing to do anything for attention. A wannabe. "So what do you call yourself now, Harold? If you're planning to become a notorious villain, you simply can't use that name. I mean, come on… HAAAR-ooold!" He grimaced and shook his head. "It's just not evil enough." Putting a hand to his chin, he thoughtfully offered a few suggestions. "How about The Evil OverLARD? Or the Bulky Bandit? Portly Prankster! Harold the Harbinger of…" He tapped his chin, thinking.

Minion piped up with a grin, "Oh! Maybe the Corpulent Commander of Crime!" Megamind turned with a smirk and gave him a thumbs up. Suddenly he winced as a very unfamiliar pain gripped his abdomen. That could only be one thing, he thought nervously. _Oh, Roxanne…_ "Minion, hand me a water bottle," he whispered to his sidekick, feeling the need to hide from Harold his grimace of pain. Wide-eyed, Minion pulled one from the pack of supplies at his back, twisted off the cap, and gave it to him.

"You can call me… BIG BALLS!" Harold yelled as loudly as he could, clenching his fists, his face turning purple. "It's obvious why, and _you_ did this to me!" He stabbed a finger at the city's hero accusingly.

Bright green eyes popped open as Megamind choked on a mouthful of water. "Big Ba-... You're kidding, right?" He swallowed with an effort and coughed. "What do you mean,_ I_ did this to you? How am I to blame for your…" He waved a hand in the general direction of the man's lower half, "disfigurement?" Glancing down he realized the man had one particular feature there which was considerably larger than the other. The snug suit accentuated the difference dramatically, and Megamind wondered if he'd designed his outfit purposefully that way as he handed the water back to Minion, who was trying hard not to laugh. And they call me an egomaniac, he thought.

"Do you remember playing dodgeball? We used to cream you good, Bluey," Harold chuckled nastily, remembering the cruelty they'd inflicted on the little outsider. Then his face hardened. "Until the day you brought that stupid helmet to school with you."

It had been one of Minion's ideas. He'd hated seeing Sir picked on by the whole class and knew there was no way the slight blue boy could defend himself without some extra help. So they'd come up with the binky powered helmet that surrounded him in a force field of energy. It not only captured the balls but returned them with five times the force with which they'd been lobbed to begin with. It was a success, except in the sense that it worked too well and afterward his friend had been sent to the quiet corner to "think about what he'd done" once again.

"You probably didn't even notice, you self-centered nerd, but one of those dodgeballs hit ME!" He pointed at his privates, causing the more delicate-minded members of the crowd to gasp and shrink back. "And I was never the same AGAIN!" One small boy in the crowd dared to laugh out loud, but someone shut him up again quickly.

"Ah, okay... But, um, why have you made the name _plural_? Shouldn't it be… singular?" Then folding his arms, he added, "And anyway, there's no way I'm calling you that. No chance." Someday his child would be asking about the day of his birth and there was no way he planned to tell him he was detained from getting to the hospital by someone named 'Big Balls'. Briefly he wondered again about Roxanne. Was she really in labor? It was too early. That had certainly felt like a contraction. Wait, a minute, he thought, how the hell would I know what a contraction feels like?

"You're gonna call me Big Balls alright… because of THIS!" Harold pulled an odd-looking weapon from behind his back that slightly resembled a sub-machine gun. Before they could ponder where he might have kept it concealed, Harold fired at the duo standing before him. Megamind leaped aside, but Minion was immediately enclosed in a thin, hollow sphere that surrounded him from above his dome to his knees. Caught out as he snickered uncontrollably at Harold's moniker, the tarry substance surrounded him like a fragile, black soap bubble. It was nearly transparent, but try as he might, he could not break through it to free himself. The more he tried to push at it, the more it stretched and stuck to him, clogging the moving parts of his robotic suit, gumming up the ape fur, slowly collapsing in on him.

"Stop moving, Minion!" Megamind ordered. The only pocket of air remaining inside the bubble formed an iregular bulbous shape around his friend's dome where the brown fishy eyes looked back at his boss in dismay. Harold was doubled over laughing and pointing in an unsettling caricature of himself from their school days long ago.

"You'll recall it was a school for the _gifted_, MegaDork! You're not the only one who can come up with an original weapon of destruction!" He looked proudly at his creation. "Pretty cool, huh? It makes any size or thickness of tar ball I want to use. Only, it's not really tar. I came up with a blend of components that - "

Recognizing a good opportunity – and the start of a typical monologue - when he saw one, the blue hero rapidly drew his own weapon from its holster. Harold was ready though. Another, smaller ball of goo enclosed Megamind's right forearm, enclosing his hand and his weapon. The fat man gloated aloud. "Yeah! Just try zapping that! Please, try it!" he danced around with obscene glee. "It'll _explode_!"

"You know, you really shouldn't give away so much information," Megamind told him, although he was grateful his opponent was a loud mouth because firing was exactly what his initial instinct had been. Instead he shook his hand slightly to see how tenacious the goo's hold was. It looked for all the world like he'd stuck his arm into a black balloon. Being hollow inside; he could still move his fingers and spin the gun's barrel.

"Who cares, nerd? I already have you right where I want you! And now, we're gonna play a little _DODGEBALL_!" Harold began laughing and firing gooey, dark balls at his opponent with practiced aim.

Megamind might have liked the game had he not been traumatized by it at school. It had forever been ruined for him instead. He was quite good at both throwing and dodging due to wanting to make sure he was never caught short-handed in such circumstances again. He'd driven Minion insane insisting they play the game in the lair's gym until he could evade anything thrown at him, and those skills had proven very handy in several confrontations since. Unfortunately, he himself had nothing to throw at the moment, although he would have loved to use Harold's sweaty head as a target.

The odd gun was able to fire tar balls of varying sizes at about one second intervals. Some were quite large and moved relatively slowly. Others were small and zipped by with alarming speed. All of them were made of the same sticky black muck. Megamind gritted his teeth, alarmed at sensing yet another contraction already following the first, and plastered himself onto the ground to duck under a large sphere that sailed over his head.

At first Harold laughed uproariously as he aimed and fired, over and over, watching Megamind leap, jump, and roll, sometimes barely avoiding the projectiles. Noticing a couple news vans that had arrived to cover the event, he sneered, hoping he might see Roxanne near of one of them. He'd gladly use her for a target too. Behind Megamind, large blackish patches covered the pavement where the balls missed their target and landed with a splat. Harold began to move forward, hoping to drive his enemy back onto the resinous ground which would hold him fast so he could finish him off. This was the revenge he'd sought for so many years. Megamind had taken away his dignity, and now he was going to return the favor in full view of the public.

Megamind guessed his opponent's strategy and resisted being driven back. He also realized he couldn't move too far to either side or risk the crowd of observers being hit by the tar balls as well. He needed a plan. Concentrating on his options, he was startled to hear his phone ring. He glanced over at Minion who looked back helplessly. It was nearly unbearable having to stand by and watch this nightmare being repeated. An unpleasant déjà-vu swept over the distressed fish as he remembered when Megamind would set him in the window of the schoolhouse at recess, not wanting to give the class bullies another chance to use his round habitat as a kickball. All he'd been able to do was observe the cruel games in the schoolyard, unable to be of any assistance. And now he couldn't even answer the phone for him. They both knew it must be Roxanne.


	7. Chapter 7

Roxanne listened to the phone ring on and on. She knew he might not be able to answer, but cradled the small device next to her ear like it was a lifeline and waited anyway. _Please let him be all right._

Gillian burst into the room, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Turn on the TV! I just found out who you are!" Wide-eyed she looked at Roxanne on the bed. "Megamind's on the news right now!"

Roxanne closed her phone as Wayne switched on the television and found a local news channel. The camera panned over the scene at City Hall, showing them Minion, helpless in his translucent bubble of tar, and Harold who was no longer laughing at his nimble nemesis whom he simply could not hit. The frustration rising dangerously inside him showed on his florid face.

Megamind was clearly tiring. He'd kept up with every missile aimed at him so far, but he was slowly being backed closer to the sticky ground behind him as well. Harold pressed forward yet again, then checked himself as his gun misfired. He scowled at it and reached back for a replacement cartridge. Roxanne felt yet another contraction rise to a still greater intensity as she watched anxiously.

In the valuable moments it took Harold to reload, Megamind was unable to do more than catch his breath. He still was trying desperately to think of what he could do without his weapon, with limited maneuverability, and while busily dodging tar every second. He realized his ability to think was hindered by his concern for what might be happening to his wife and child and his increasing fatigue. _Concentrate_! How could he free his de-gun? As he mentally reviewed all its settings, breathing hard, he doubled over slightly with a grimace. _Wow, that one was definitely stronger. I've got to finish this! _

Wayne looked at the TV screen, simultaneously seeing his blue buddy wince and hearing Roxanne groan softly. The uterine monitor next to the bed registered a significant spike as Roxanne controlled several exhaled breaths until the muscles relaxed again. He glanced from her to the tv and commented, "Oh boy..."

Gillian was watching the match on the screen with great excitement. "Oh my gosh! I should have recognized you! I knew you looked familiar when I came in. I just love your husband! Oh – that didn't sound right. But you know what I mean! Actually I'm a big fan of both of you! I was so excited when I found out you guys are expecting!" She giggled. "Well, duh. That's why you're here, right?" She grabbed Wayne's arm. "This is so exciting!" Suddenly she paused, stared at him and exclaimed, "No way! I know who YOU are!"

Wayne froze like a deer in headlights. Roxanne thought of kicking the silly woman out of her room but decided it wasn't worth the energy and drama as she noticed the action between the two combatants resume on screen. Gillian was still hanging onto Wayne's considerable arm and gaping at him openly. "You! You're Music Man!"

Sighing in relief, Wayne relaxed enough to smile weakly at the perky blonde still gripping his arm. "Why yes, yes I am."

"I always wondered why you gave up the super-hero gig? But then I got your first album, and I totally understood!"

Two jaws fell open. Roxanne and the ex-hero looked at each other, then back at Gillian. She remained completely unaware of the significance of the bomb she'd just dropped in the room. "Um, what do you mean?" Wayne asked.

"I mean, it's obvious where your real talent lies! You have the soul of a poet. I know the words to all your songs. I wondered, do you do your own backing tracks too?"

"Yeah, I do. But what I meant was… uh, what did you mean about the super-hero thing?"

She looked at him blankly. "Well, you're not still Metro Man, right? I mean, I haven't seen you around as him in a long time!"

Wayne blinked a few times. "Metro Man is dead. It was all over the news at the time. That's when Megamind…"

Gillian was smiling knowingly and nodding her head. "Yeah, I remember watching all the coverage. You look so cute on camera by the way, Roxanne! I couldn't believe people fell for that! But I guess you had to get out somehow, right?"

Dumbfounded, Wayne wondered how many other people had seen through the ruse. Maybe she was the only one, he thought. He seriously doubted it. Gillian seemed completely unaware that she had rocked the big man to his core. He ventured to ask, "So, what did your friends think of my 'departure' from the hero business?"

"Are you kidding?" she scoffed. "_They_ all bought it! Cried and cried." She shook her head. "Later I tried to tell them, but they all just think I'm a ditz anyway." She circled a finger near her ear and giggled. "When you're blonde, you get used to people not listening to you."

He grinned at her suddenly. He liked this kid. "Well, maybe you're just so clever, you've got them all fooled!"

The blonde gasped happily at the compliment and was about to respond when several things happened at once. On the TV Harold began speaking. Roxanne hissed through her gritted teeth as another contraction began climbing to its peak, and the nurse hurried into the room and checked her monitors. "Oh my, you're moving right along!" she told her. "About 5 minutes apart now. That one was closer."

"Does Dr Sherred know? The contractions are getting stronger too," she said. "Please go tell him." Why hadn't he come back to discuss stopping this?

The nurse patted her hand and assured her, "I'll make sure he knows." Roxanne felt as though this lady was not taking the situation seriously enough. Shouldn't people should be rushing around and sirens and lights going off? But the calm-faced nurse maintained an annoying air of cool collectedness. What do I have to do to get him to come back in here and tell me what's going on, Roxanne wondered, scream? Her concerns were interrupted when she heard her own name mentioned on air.

* * *

Harold was losing patience. Megamind hadn't been nearly so difficult to hit in school. So far he hadn't connected with him at all except for the first shot that disabled his firing arm. Fed up playing this game without satisfaction and knowing his opponent was tiring, he decided to liven things up by goading his opponent a bit. "Where's your lovely wifey - Roxanne?"

_Like I'm going to tell you_. Megamind glowered at him, his chest heaving from exertion and the last contraction. It had come sooner than he expected. Why do they always have to bring her into it, he groused. Refusing to answer, he questioned instead, "What about you, Harold? Did you ever get married? Start a family?" _Must keep him talking. I need more time_. He looked over at Minion encased in his thin rubbery prison and wondered briefly why the substance hadn't dried and collapsed over time. A sudden and welcome inspiration illuminated his mind like a ray of light.

It didn't seem possible a human face could turn a darker shade of red, but Harold's did. "Of course not, you jerk! Thanks to you! Who'd want me like this?" Gritting his teeth in anger, he fired another black globe.

As Megamind jumped aside, he spun the barrel on the de-gun and pulled the trigger inside the ball covering his hand. "You never know, Harold. Look at me. I used to think the same thing."

"Yeah, and I still can't believe it! Who'd want YOU, you blue _bug_? She's gotta be nuts!"

Another crippling spasm took him by surprise. Unable to move. he expected to find himself covered in goo but instead saw several spheres exploded to his left and right, effectively trapping him in a horseshoe of tar on the ground. Harold grinned wickedly and moved in for the kill.

There were nine settings on the de-gun and only one which Megamind had never used. "De-coupage" had been Minion's idea. Megamind had added it just to please his friend and because he had a vacant spot on the barrel anyway. It allowed Minion to make practical use of the de-gun during their down time. He was pretty crafty. Never did Megamind think he would make use of the setting himself. Today he blessed his funny little piscean friend all over again. Once he'd decoupaged the inside of the hollow ball on his shooting hand, the material rapidly began to dry and become brittle. Harold continued to throw sticky spheres as fast as his weapon could form them, laughing mirthlessly as he anticipated victory and watched his opponent dodge and duck as quickly as possible inside the narrow confines of the tar borders around him, his right hand held carefully away from his side. Harold was so close now, Megamind knew one more contraction like the last one would be his undoing. But it never came.

It's got to have dried, he thought as he rolled dangerously close to the edge of the black ooze on the ground. He smashed his right arm against the pavement and rose to one knee in a defensive crouch. Harold's eyes opened wide as he saw Megamind quickly raise the freed de-gun, reset it, and fire.

Suddenly Harold felt… different. His anger evaporated like smoke, and he became acutely aware of his most private body parts being on display for the crowd to see all too plainly. Everything was silent. Bending double, he tried to cover his crotch with his arms. "Oh my gosh! What have you done to me?" Red-faced in embarrassment instead of rage, it seemed to the attentive crowd that he visibly shrank in upon himself, transforming from an angry maniac into a painfully self-conscious, overweight man who had shown up in public in a very tight spandex suit that did not show off his assets to their best advantage.

Megamind straightened up and shook his head ruefully. "Sorry, Harold. But I have better things to do today than play dodgeball." He paused. "And just some food for thought - don't assume what people may think of you, no matter what you look like. I apologize for any trouble I've caused you, but now that I have, you need to get over it." As the crowd broke out in cheering, he turned to Minion who was grinning from fin to fin.

"I was getting a little worried there!"

"Well, I never thought 'de-moralize' would come in handy now that I'm a hero," Megamind commented, de-coupaging the confining bubble around his sidekick.

"And using the de-coupage setting!" Minion exclaimed delightedly from inside the now opaque sphere. "Impressively original, Sir! Way to think outside the box!" He chuckled, "No pun intended."

Megamind paused, trying to access his sense of Roxanne, but he detected nothing. There hadn't been another pain or in fact any feeling from her in the last part of the battle. He looked at his watch as he waited impatiently. Minion tested the glue several times before finally declaring it dried and busting it open. A pair of tense green eyes greeted him. "We need to go, Minion, now."

"Ok, but what about him?" One mechanical thumb motioned back towards their opponent sitting handcuffed on the steps of City Hall, looking very deflated and confused. Several police officers surrounded him, but no one seemed very concerned. A news crew approached Harold. Mercifully, a jacket had been given to him to cover his nether regions.

"They've got it under control. The de-moralize effect should last at least another hour or two. Let's go!"

"But Sir, my suit." Minion looked down at himself, still partially covered in the sticky goo and the broken remains of the sphere. In his distracted state Megamind had forgotten. "I can't go to the hospital like this!" Another news crew began to make their way over to the two defenders.

"We'll have the brainbots bring the back-up," he decided, with another glance at his watch. Twenty-five minutes and still no contraction. What had happened?

"You're going to have to go ahead without me," Minion told him. Megamind looked torn. "There's no question about it, Sir. You need to be there now. Once the brainbots bring my suit, I'll come to the hospital as soon as possible."

The anxious father-to-be nodded at him and ran to the hoverbike.


	8. Chapter 8

"Roxie…? Roxanne? What are you doing?" Wayne watched her lying very still, her eyes closed and breathing deep and even. "You're freaking me out…"

"Shut up, Wayne," she murmured, eyes shut. "I need to concentrate."

_Okay, what do I know about having a baby?_ He turned to watch the TV again, noting the end of the battle at City Hall with a brief smile. Should he tell her it was over? She said she needed to concentrate, but he had no idea what she was up to.

Another spike registered on the monitor. Roxanne did her best to breathe through it, gripping the blanket on the bed. "Wayne? How's he doing?"

"They're done! He should be on his way soon." Wayne looked puzzled. "It didn't look like he was feeling those last few pains."

Hopefully not, she thought.

Dr. Sherred hurried into the room, accompanied by another shorter man in a white coat who looked worried. "Roxanne, my dear, I'm so sorry we couldn't get to you sooner." Looking over the printed record that dangled from the uterine monitor, he turned to the nurse wordlessly and took the pair of thin medical gloves she handed to him. "I'm going to check your cervix now. I certainly didn't expect your labor to progress so rapidly."

Wayne looked quickly away, whistling tunelessly. _This is more than I signed on for! Come on, Megs!_

"You're six centimeters dilated." He heard the doctor say, "I also detect amniotic fluid present here, so we are going to run a test for fetal lung maturity." After a pause he informed Roxanne, "It's not going to be possible to stop the labor."

When Wayne ventured to look again, the nurse was readjusting the blanket and the doctor was removing his gloves.

Roxanne looked supremely worried, but she said nothing. The second man present introduced himself. "Roxanne, I'm Dr Greene. I'm the head of obstetrics. We're going to do the best we can to help you and your baby." He glanced at Dr. Sherred and explained, "We had an emergency to deal with, otherwise we would have come to you sooner. However, considering the rapid progress you've made this far, I'm not sure there was a real possibility of delaying this special event today. Dr. Sherred has explained the situation to me, and I'm pleased you've entrusted us with assisting you." He smiled at her. "I hope you're ready to meet your baby!"

Roxanne burst into unexpected tears. Gillian hurried to her side and took her hand. "It'll be ok," she soothed, her pretty face frowning over Roxanne's distress.

Wayne asked, "How soon do you think? Megamind is on his way."

"Labor is very unpredictable," Dr Greene answered, "It could be hours yet or it could be much sooner."

Roxanne gained control of herself again as suddenly as she had lost it. She wiped her eyes. This was not how they had expected things to happen but now wasn't the time to fall apart. She had questions. "What about the baby? Will he be all right being this early?"

Dr Sherred held out his hands, his bushy white eyebrows rose on his forehead. "The truth is, my dear, that we simply do not know. As I explained before, it could be that this is a full term pregnancy for this particular child. That's what we're hoping, and lung maturity is extremely important. We're going to run some tests as time allows, but from what we know about your husband's inability to deal with certain pharmacological agents, I'm not sure what will be safe for his child either should we find that intervention is necessary."

"In others words, giving the baby the drugs we use on human preemies to do things such as helping their lungs to prepare quickly before birth may be more harmful than helpful in this instance," Dr Greene added. "We'll weigh the risks against the benefits and make the best decision we can."

Her head was spinning, trying to take in all the information they were providing as well as attempting to keep blocking the link. She had discussed with Megamind the possible outcomes and side effects of using pain relief during labor, but neither of them had foreseen the need to consider the effects of other drugs. _I wish he was here. Hurry up!_

As though in answer to her silent plea, the hero appeared, bursting through the door as though he was about to save her from some new evil. "Where is she -? Oh, thank god. What's happening?" A concerned desk duty nurse trailed in his wake, unsure why the city's blue celebrity was breaking into the maternity ward. When she saw who was in the bed, her mouth formed a silent 'o' of recognition, and she retreated back to her post with a relieved smile.

Roxanne held out her hand to him as Gillian retreated from her side. He quickly moved to sit at the edge of the bed, embracing her tightly. "Are you ok? What happened? Did labor stop?"

"No, everything's still on," she told him, noting the oily, warm smell of tar surrounding his clothes and feeling overwhelming relief that he was safe and that he'd made it there in time.

"But why –" he began to ask when a new contraction seized them both. Roxanne grimaced and tried to practice the methods of controlled breathing she'd learned. Megamind simply folded up and gasped as they clasped hands. "Holy –-" In her relief at seeing him, she'd released control over the link.

The doctors looked at each other. "This is what you were talking about," Dr. Greene commented quietly. Dr. Sherred nodded. "Well! That's… fascinating! Not quite like the couvade cases I've seen." Wondering if the couple would consent to being written up for a medical journal, he tucked his hands in his coat and observed them closely.

As the contraction eased, Dr. Greene inquired, "What are your feelings on pain management? At this point, there is a limit to what we can do, but some options are still available."

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell them that she had decided to not have any drug intervention when she felt her husband grip her arm. His head still hung down, and he seemed to lift it only with the greatest effort. "I know what we talked about," he said hoarsely. Squinting at her, he pleaded, "But I am begging you… please – get – _the drugs_!"

Someone in the room snickered; it may have been Wayne or one of the nurses, who of course would never have admitted making such a faux pas in a delivery room. Roxanne looked at him and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He'd been through a lot today, and she would just have to forgive his dramatics at the moment. "Megs, if I can take it, I'm sure you can. We said -"

"Drugs. Now."

Roxanne regarded him a moment longer and turned to Dr. Sherred who was trying to hide a smile behind his hand. "What are my options?"

"If the tests show a good maturation of the lungs, I'd recommend Nubain. It's a synthetic narcotic which shouldn't affect the baby. You will still feel labor and be able to fully participate when delivery arrives, but most women tell us it does a good job of taking the edge off the pain."

"Sounds great! Let's do that," Megamind quickly acceded. Roxanne nodded her assent as well.

"That's fine. I'll see to it once we get the test results. Try to relax between contractions. Keep working on breathing through them, and I'll be back to check you soon. Call if there are any rapid changes." Glancing over the monitors once again, he noted several things on her chart, then smiled at them before leaving the room, Dr. Greene hurrying after him as well. The nurse began to prepare equipment, pulling out a clear bassinet on a cart and turning on a warming unit. With efficient competence, she assessed the stock of necessary supplies in several cupboards and drawers, laying out what needed to be close at hand soonest.

Wayne cleared his throat uncomfortably, feeling very out of place. "I think it's about time I get out of here."

"Wayne, I can't thank you enough."

"Well, I didn't really do anything."

"You were here," Roxanne gratefully acknowledged. "Stick around if you want. You might get to meet your godchild before long."

Gillian piped up. "I'll show you where you can wait! The lounge isn't that bad." As she ushered him out, she reminded Roxanne to be sure to page her for any reason.

Megamind called out with sincerity, "Thanks, Wayne."

Pausing in the doorway, the big man winked and smiled. "No problem, buddy. And good job out there."

The room had quieted after another contraction passed under the nurse's watchful eye and she left to check on another client. Megamind looked around silently for several moments, taking in everything. "We're going to have a baby," he stated deliberately and turned to her. "Today." Slowly it was sinking in as the buzz of the battle with Harold wore off.

Roxanne smiled at him and stroked his arm, feeling much calmer. Having him there brought her a sense of peace, despite knowing it wouldn't be long before everything became frantically busy again and there were still concerns to be addressed. Alone, she had been overwhelmed and fearful; together, she was assured they'd be able to handle whatever happened. The contractions had spaced further apart now that she was more relaxed. The nurse had suggested this might be because relaxing allowed the muscles to be more efficient.

She asked about Minion. "He should be on his way. He needed the replacement suit first." Looking down at himself, he said, "I should have him bring me some things as well." He began removing his gloves, then realized bits of dried glue and tar were showering down from them, so he pulled a wastebasket near and finished taking them off over it. Then leaving his cape on the rocking chair, he turned to sit in the bed with her. She scooted closer, wrapping her arms around him. Cradling her, he leaned back with a sigh. "These beds are horribly uncomfortable."

Roxanne smiled against his chest and closed her eyes. It was true, but she no longer cared about her aching tailbone. "Let's call him. I left home without a suitcase or the baby's clothes or anything at all."

"Will do. Just need to rest a minute." They both drifted into an all too brief sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Awakened all too soon by another pain, a glance at the clock on the wall indicated they'd dozed for less than ten minutes. Roxanne sat up, wrinkling her nose against the acrid, heavy smell of tar. Getting him a change of clothing before the baby arrived became a higher priority.

"How's Minion getting here?"

"Good question." He thought about the invisible car which Roxanne had used to come to the appointment and the hoverbike which he had taken after dealing with Harold. Both were now in the parking lot. Minion would not fit inside Roxanne's little efficiency car. It was possible he might take a taxi or have the brainbots bring him, but he tended to avoid either method of travel.

"Page that bubbly woman. Tell her to bring Wayne with her."

"That's Gillian." Roxanne pressed the call button and heard the bright voice answer promptly. She asked her to bring Wayne back to them.

"Gillian knows who Wayne is," Roxanne told him.

He frowned. "Is she a fan?" he asked, referring to Music Man.

"That's not what I meant," she answered with a smile. " And yes, actually she is. But what I meant was that she saw through his charade with the Death Ray. She pegged him right here in this room as Metro Man. You should have seen his face."

"Really!"

Gillian and Wayne entered the room. Megamind requested, "Wayne, I have a favor to ask. Minion doesn't have a way of getting here. Could you…"

"Sure." They were on the same wavelength.

"We need him to bring us a few things."

"You know," Gillian interjected, "I can get you some spare scrubs to change into. You might be more comfortable, plus it's more sterile. They'd probably ask you to change or put on a gown anyway." Roxanne confirmed it was a good idea, so she ducked out to a hallway cupboard to get them.

"If you'd deliver the car to him, that would allow him to come and go as necessary." Megamind suggested.

"Might look a little funny," Wayne commented as Gillian quickly returned with a thin stack of folded clothing.

"Well, set it to invisibility mode first, of course." He added, "Don't pretend you don't know how."

Wayne grinned. It was true; he'd messed with the interesting vehicle previously, although he hadn't known Megamind was aware of that. "I can do that."

Gillian watched the exchange with interest and followed Wayne out again. She ought to be checking her other assigned rooms, but no one needed her attention at the moment and her curiosity was peaked. Attending to the city's famous and infamous had certainly marked this as a day to remember. "What was it he wanted you to do?"

"You know who Minion is. Well, he needs a way to get here, so I'm going to take Megamind's car back to their lair for him to use."

"Drive it?"

"No, I'll fly it there. It's faster."

"Oh! That's why you said it would look funny. Yeah! A car flying through the air. Especially since Metro Man isn't supposed to be around anymore. So he said make it invisible."

"You got it." She wasn't such a dim bulb despite her friends' claim. They walked out the hospital's main doors and stopped. Wayne spotted the not currently invisible car parked at the side of the building.

"How fast?" She asked. "I mean how long will it take you to get it there and be back?"

He winked at her. "Do you have a watch with a second hand? Time me!"

* * *

A couple more contractions passed before Dr. Sherred returned to them again. Megamind had changed into the scrubs and sat at the edge of the bed with Roxanne. The doctor smiled and told them the good news first.

"The good news is the baby's lungs appear to have matured further already than I would have thought possible at this point. This simply confirms that we're dealing with a lot of unknowns here. I am also going to give you the go ahead for the Nubain. We'll start an IV, and it's delivered through the port. The effects tend take hold very quickly, so you should begin feeling much more relaxed soon."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Megamind said. Looking at Roxanne, he added, "For you too!" She laughed lightly. The nurse arrived and began to prepare her IV as they continued to listen to the doctor.

"Now, there is something else we need to talk about." Dr. Sherred's pleasant expression clouded over. "This large cranium you pass on, Megamind. Not knowing the mechanics of birth for your species, and considering we have a fully human mother here, we're going to have to monitor the progress of the baby through the birth canal quite closely. I'm not saying I expect there to be a problem, but I'd like you to know that in the event that I detect any difficulties, we're preparing a surgical room for a possible cesarean section. If necessary."

Megamind took Roxanne's hand and they looked at each other solemnly. "Yes, we'd thought of that as well. I wish I could provide more information myself, but as you said, we're dealing with a lot of unknowns here."

Trying to reassure them, Dr. Sherred explained, "C-sections are performed on a regular basis these days, as I'm sure you know. We'll only go that route if we need to, but should that happen, I'm certain we will still have a very positive outcome."

The nurse held up a syringe and asked, "Roxanne, are you ready? I'm going to deliver your pain medication." She inserted the needle into the port and depressed the plunger. "I'll just stay and observe you for a while as it takes effect."

"I'm going to personally check on the preparations I told you about, and then I will be back to check your progress." He looked at the printout. "It seems things have settled down a little, but I don't expect that to last much longer." Despite the warning, he smiled as he left.

"He wasn't kidding about that stuff acting quickly," Roxanne noted as a tranquil feeling settled over her after only a few minutes. She sighed deeply. "I feel reeeally relaxed."

"Good. I'm very pleased to hear that," Megamind told her, kissing her forehead. He smiled, noting she looked much more comfortable; her breathing became deep and even. Soon her heavy eyelids closed. Dealing with the contractions himself was bad enough, but knowing she had to fight through the same pains he was feeling and not being able to do anything about it left him frustrated. By the time the pain wore off for him, hers was fading as well, so what kind of support could he provide her?

The next contraction rolled over Roxanne with barely any effect. She murmured, "I think that's another one. Isn't it? Megs?" She opened her eyes and looked over at him.

He was biting a corner of the blanket and pounding a fist against his leg. Through gritted teeth, he managed to answer, "Yes. Ah! Yes, I believe that's another."

"Oh no… It's not working for you, is it?"

He wasn't able to answer until the peak of the contraction passed. "Apparently not." He slumped and passed a hand over his face. The nurse suggested he might try the controlled breathing techniques Roxanne had been using. She turned away to hide a smile. The city's hero, brought down by labor pains!

Dr. Sherred returned as promised and prepared to check Roxanne's progress. "You're at least seven centimeters, and I suspect transitional labor is about to begin," he informed her. "How's the pain relief working?"

"Great for me, but I can't say the same for you-know-who." She motioned toward Megamind who sat resignedly in the rocking chair near her bedside. The doctor clucked his tongue compassionately.

"Well, Megamind, I am sorry to hear that. I would offer you pain relief as well, but considering what you've told me…" They had explained his intolerance of drugs to the doctor at the beginning of their association, knowing such family history might affect the baby as well. "Rest assured, you're in good company. Many women around the world go through childbirth with no medical intervention at all!"

Miserably, he answered, "I salute them all."

The kind doctor didn't have the heart to remind him the worst was yet to come.

* * *

The desk nurse did not want to allow Minion to go back to the delivery room. Yes, she knew who he was and who was back there. However, there were procedures and rules in place for a reason. She simply could not conscience waving another strange character through the maternity ward without a better reason than that he was the father's sidekick.

Wayne and Gillian pleaded his case. "He's brought them their things," Wayne reasoned as Minion held up a suitcase.

"He can give it to them later."

"But he's here for the father's support."

The veteran desk nurse asked dryly, "Why would the father need support?"

Wayne leaned forward conspiratorially. "Because… _he's in labor too_!" Gillian nodded vigorously.

The iron-haired woman remained unmoved. "No, I'm sorry. There's no reason he can't wait out here." She crossed her arms, indicating she was done debating. "I can take the suitcase back to them if they need it."

Wayne looked at Minion. Gillian looked at Wayne who looked at her. "Did I leave my cell phone back there? That looks like it," Gillian asked, pointing at the shelf behind the stolid woman. The desk nurse looked behind her and turned back, saying, "No, that's Amy's. She left it here when… Wait, where'd they go?" Only Gillian stood before the desk.

Wayne and Minion zipped into the room faster than the sound of loud groaning from inside could reach their ears. Wayne took one look at what was happening, turned white, and left again as fast as he'd come in. Back at the desk, he looked at Gillian and smiled weakly. She giggled at his pale face. "Never seen a baby born before?"


	10. Chapter 10

_**THANK YOU for reviewing! (You know who you are!) What writer doesn't love reviews, and it spurs me on to write more! It's like literary fuel. 8) Please leave me a note if you're reading this and haven't done so yet. I would love to hear from you, and I'm not above old-fashioned begging! Enjoy the story. =)**_

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Minion stood blinking just inside the door, adjusting to the sudden activity around him after being whisked down the hall from the quiet front desk. What a time to arrive, he thought. Roxanne was clearly getting close to delivering the baby, Dr. Sherred at the ready, but he didn't allow his gaze to linger on her for long lest he lose his nerve and leave as quickly as Wayne had. Two nurses moved about performing various tasks, barely registering his arrival. Despite the advanced stage of labor, Roxanne appeared relatively collected although clearly making an effort to deal with her discomfort. He quickly realized most of the disturbing noise in the room emanated from the blue figure folded up in the rocking chair. Megamind seemed to detect his sidekick's presence and looked up in desperation. "I hope you brought the stick!"

"Sir! You can't resort to the forget-me stick now! You'll miss the baby being born!" Briefly he wondered how Roxanne was able to cope with a level of pain that had apparently decimated Megamind.

"MINION! I'm _commanding_ you to hit me. Hard! Wake me up when he's here. I'm not doing her any good anyway!" he bemoaned. His failure to be of any assistance was almost as hard to bear as the pain. This was certainly not how he'd wanted things to work out. He was supposed to be the strong one and help ease the difficult moments of their little offspring's arrival for Roxanne, but he'd been reduced to nothing more than a quivering mass of anguish. It was no consolation knowing women around the world managed to have babies every day.

"No, Sir. You can do this." Moving to stand next to his friend, Minion was immediately grateful for the partially blocked view he now had of the focus of the room. "You wouldn't thank me later if I let you miss this. Now get a grip on yourself!"

"Oh, shut up, Minion! You have no idea of – oh god…!"

"The baby's head is beginning to move into the birth canal. I'm going to ask you to start pushing with the next contraction, Roxanne," Dr. Sherred informed her as she exhaled deliberately through the pressure and pain.

She had tried to block the link for Megamind, but transition was easily the most intense part of labor, even with the narcotic helping her cope. Now hearing the doctor's instructions, she felt a new surge of energy and determination, knowing she would soon be able to push and get it all over with. Taking a few steadying breaths, she attempted to focus herself and concentrate on gaining control of the link again.

Megamind had been bent double in the chair, his arms clasped tightly around himself, head on his knees, but as Roxanne renewed her silent effort he slowly realized the pain was beginning to fade. He righted, a look of wonder dawning on his face and glanced at his wife, breathing deeply as she concentrated on maintaining the block. "_How_ are you doing that?" The horrific spasms he'd felt dulled to an ache.

"Don't know," she murmured with an exhaled breath. "Tell you about it later."

"Roxanne, when you feel a tap on your hand, I need you to push. Give it as much effort as you can." Dr. Sherred watched as a spike climbed on the monitor. He touched her hand.

As she made the first push, realizing he was no longer incapacitated by pain, Megamind rose from the chair and stood beside her. He was flummoxed. How had she been able to control the link?

"The contraction is ending. Relax now."

Dr. Sherred looked up at the father-to-be who was obviously feeling less pain and wondered himself what had happened, but he couldn't waste time exploring the fascinating phenomena at such a critical moment. Explaining to Megamind that she would need to push with the crest of each contraction, he instructed him to help her know when the right time came by watching the monitor. Megamind took Roxanne's hand, feeling her grip seeking his reassurance while she kept her eyes closed in concentration.

The next effort brought an excited utterance from the doctor. "Very good! The head crowned briefly!"

"Contraction's ending," Megamind soon told her, stroking her hand. "There's no problem?" he anxiously asked about the baby's progress.

"No! No problem," the doctor smiled. "In fact, given a couple more of those impressive pushes, you'll see this little person for yourself."

Three pushes and much encouragement later, a cry was heard. "Here he is!" Dr. Sherred laid the baby on Roxanne's stomach. "Your new son!"

With gasping breaths, she looked down to see the little squirming form being dried with a towel. "Hey there, kid!" An answering squall brought tears to her eyes, and she reached to touch his head with a shaky laugh of relief. "You're finally here." She looked up at Megamind who was gazing in disbelief at the new person in the room as tears streamed down his face. In awe he looked down at her and bent to kiss her gratefully, words unnecessary between them. Minion sobbed happily in the background.

After the usual cleaning up and weighing, numbers recorded and tests performed, with the impatient and ever-curious father hovering nearby through the entire process, the baby was finally placed in Roxanne's arms. The nurses had attended to her too, and she was finally ready to release the link entirely and rest.

"He's so tiny."

"Just 5 lbs 9oz, but that's quite good for 34 weeks. I suspect his true gestational age is older than that." Dr. Sherred informed them, "The apgar scores were an 8 and another 8."

Megamind protested mildly. "Eight? Why not tens?"

The doctor laughed, "Well, I could adjust slightly for the color portion of the scoring. Obviously the apgar doesn't account for babies that are _supposed_ to be blue!" He seemed to find this very amusing and chuckled over it happily. "You did extremely well, Roxanne. And so did you, Megamind."

"Ah ah, I know exactly how I did. No sugar-coating necessary." Beaming at her and the baby, he felt no need for soothing accolades. His heart was full and that was enough. "This incredible woman deserves all the praise today."

"Very well then. I'm going to allow you some time to yourselves. I'll check in later to see how everything is going. Might I ask for a photo with the three of you later to hang on my wall? This is an event that certainly deserves commemoration!"

"Of course! Thank you, Dr. Sherred," Roxanne said as he left. The nurses completed their own tasks, merrily admired and complimented the baby once more, and left them alone.

Having hung back out of the way until the flurry of activity ended, Minion approached the bed finally, still sniffling. "Congratulations! Just look at him. He's beautiful." He peered at the swaddled baby closely. "Sir… he looks so much like you!"

"I know. Doesn't he?" Roxanne grinned down at her little son. "Well, shall we let Wayne come in and meet his godson?"

Pressing the call button, Megamind informed Gillian they could come back. In a minute Wayne peeked through the door nervously, asking, "Is it safe?"

Roxanne laughed. "Yes, it's safe, you wimp. Come in! You can come in too, Gillian. It's all right." Sensing a chemistry there, she wondered if the two may have gotten to know each other better during the time Wayne had been waiting.

The ex-hero crept toward to the bed as though afraid he might tread too loudly and then smiled down at the bundle in Roxanne's arms. Gillian had remembered her duties and brought in ice water for the new mother. Setting it within reach on the bedside table, she giggled as Roxanne pulled back a corner of the blanket so they could see him better. "Holy smokes, it's a mini-Megamind!" Wayne looked at the happy father. "It looks like somebody shrunk you," he joked, then patted his back. "Congratulations! So what are you calling him?"

Megamind gently took the little figure from Roxanne, arranging him with the greatest care until he felt secure in his arms. He looked down reverently and fondled his son, taking in the sparse, pale fuzz on top of the blue head and the perfect features of his face; a tiny nose, wide eyes, and his mother's mouth. "His name is Michael."

Wayne was surprised. "Michael! Really? I thought for sure you'd pick something a little more… unique." Minion held back his own comments. He had not expected them to choose such a common name either.

"Wayne, look at him," Megamind reasoned. "He's going to have enough to deal with in life without being saddled with some weird name that will give him fits on top of everything else." Looking at Roxanne who nodded, he said, "We wanted to give him a strong name with the same initial as mine that he can be comfortable with and bear proudly."

"I like 'Michael'. It seems to suit him," Gillian offered. "What about a middle name?"

Roxanne informed her, "His middle name is Megamind's own name. But that's a secret."

Gillian pondered this. "I always wondered about that. So your real name is a secret, but you're still able to share it with him for a middle name! Awww… That's really special!"

Minion looked over Megamind's shoulder as the baby arched his back and yawned. "Hello there, little Sir!" Innocent blue eyes slowly blinked open and calmly regarded the watery creature staring back at him. "He's looking at me! He looked right at me!" Minion was reduced to near tears again as he was examined by little Michael, who looked so much like his closest friend. Memories cascaded over him, and his little fishy heart swelled with happiness knowing this blue baby was going to enjoy a very different sort of life right from the start than he and Megamind had begun all those years ago.

Megamind scolded him, trying to deflect an emotional outburst, "You know, you nearly missed it, Minion. What happened?"

Gaining control of himself, he explained, "Oh, I had some trouble with the brainbots. They just went crazy over that suit when they saw the tar and decoupage hanging off of it. They kept zooming up to me and grabbing some of the ragged pieces, and then they'd skip out of reach again. I think they wanted to play with it. Or maybe the smell of that tar had some kind of effect on them, I don't know. Eventually I got them under control enough to put me in the back-up. It was a close call though! Good thing you sent Wayne with the car."

"Well, I'm glad you made it in time. I really wanted you to be here too," Roxanne told him, seeing his face light up at her affirmation that he was an essential part of their family.

"Ok, ok, everybody out. Time for my wife to get some well-deserved rest, and later you can come back and we'll all play pass the baby." Placing his awakened son gently back in his mother's arms, Megamind ushered them toward the door, ignoring their good-natured protests. "Go get some flowers," he told Wayne.

"What's your favorite kind, dear?" Wayne asked with a sappy smile.

"Ha, ha. Get going. See you later." He closed the door and turned to marvel again at the unbelievable sight of his new family. Roxanne began to nurse little Michael. "All right now. I need to know what was happening with the link. How in the world did you do that?" Relenting at the demanding tone of his request, he added, "Whenever you're ready, of course."

She smirked at him and glanced down to make sure the baby was latching on properly. Knowing her analytical spouse must have been dying to question her all through the end of the delivery, she quickly considered how to best describe the experience. He moved to sit as near to her in the bed as he could and kissed her again as they watched their son take his first nourishment. Roxanne began to explain.

"You can be very… intense, you know." His puzzled glance informed her that she needed to explain further. "We aren't even reading each others' minds, but sometimes I need a break from all that activity up there." She didn't want to accuse him, but she illustrated the point by admitting, "When you're up at night, you sometimes keep me up too." Noise wasn't a problem. They'd included sound-proofing measures throughout the lair and its living areas, but because of the link, she would occasionally awaken suddenly to realize he'd gotten up from bed to answer the call of some new inspiration running riot through his, and more vaguely through her, brain.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." He hadn't realized his mental processes were affecting her so acutely.

"I know. And it doesn't always happen. Seems to be kind of hit or miss." She hadn't been able to figure out why. "What I _didn't_ want was to stifle your creativity by making you feel guilty or make you think you needed to try to… I don't know, change your habits or alter your usual process somehow. It's been working well for you this long, and I didn't want you to mess with a good thing. So I figured I'd try to help myself to at least ride out those times when it was really overwhelming. I started trying some meditation, just to relax really, and one night something seemed to click. You were working in the lab and at first I could tell almost exactly what you were doing, then suddenly everything cleared out." She remembered it distinctly, the sensation that she was standing in the middle of a swirling storm and then the odd feeling of suddenly being thrust into a quiet room. Although the relief was welcome, she'd initially felt disquieted and ill at ease. They had become very used to being aware of each other at all times, even unconsciously.

"So after that I kept practicing it now and then, partly out of curiosity and of course during times when you were really going hard at something, and eventually I got better at being able to control it. Good thing too, considering today's experience."

He sighed. "I have to be honest. I don't really like the whole idea that you can break contact with me like that, but I am supremely thankful for it right now." He reached down and rubbed the short fuzz on Michael's head. "I wish I could have been more help to you sooner. That was very difficult to accept – my limitations when you needed me. And I had to rely on your assistance instead." He looked at her apologetically. "I really wanted to be there for you."

"You were! You were here and at the end, you provided exactly what I needed. Come on. How could I have done _this_ without you? Any of it?" She lifted the now satiated baby into his arms. "This is the best thing we've ever done. And we did do it together, beginning to end." She put her head on his shoulder, and they pondered their new life silently.

Cradling the baby in one arm and Roxanne with the other, he knew there would be precious few moments in his life that would ever rival this one. He finally felt at peace with how everything had turned out. Looking deeply in her eyes, he told her, "I love you," and kissed her.

A profoundly satisfied smile curved her lips. "I know," she answered serenely. "I love you too." She softly tickled Michael's cheek. "And here's the proof."

* * *

"All right, little man. Now pay attention. There are a few things you need to know." The low hum of equipment provided a soothing accompaniment to his mellow voice as he held the baby in the rocking chair. Roxanne napped peacefully in the dimmed room. Michael watched his father with wide, wondering eyes.

"Number one: I am your father. I am an alien. And I make the rules!" Then he whispered, "Unless your mother disagrees, in which case she makes the rules." He smiled and added, "No matter what you do or what you become, Michael, I will always love you."

"Number two." He inclined the baby to be able to see Roxanne, "She is your mother. She is the most beautiful, brave, and amazing woman on earth. I expect you to respect her and do as she says. Our number one job is to keep her safe and happy."

One tiny blue arm escaped the blanket and waved in the air. Capturing it, he gently held it in his larger blue hand. "Number three: Minion is a true and loyal friend. Trust him and listen to him. He will never let you down. If a time comes when you think he _has_ let you down, it most likely means you have done something wrong."

He rocked the chair gently. "And number four: Never trust a thing Uncle Wayne tells you. Always check with me first."


End file.
